Hundreds of cases have been opened in Kazakhstan against citizens who were recruited into Russian military formations - study

In Kazakhstan, in 2025, security forces opened 700 cases against those who enlisted in Russian military formations. Such calculations are provided by Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service.

As the authors of the study note, all the defendants in these cases, from the point of view of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, “carried out criminal intent” to participate in the war, and where exactly this or that accused served (in the Wagner PMC or the Ministry of Defense) does not matter.

According to estimates by Mediazona and the BBC Russian Service, almost 200 citizens or natives of Kazakhstan died in the war with Ukraine.

“Previously, the country’s authorities only warned about criminal liability; the number of cases was limited to dozens per year. But at the beginning of 2025, after the publication of personal data of possible mercenaries, the situation changed dramatically,” notes Mediazona.

On December 24, it was reported that in Belarus a military man who fought on the side of Russia, was captured by the Ukrainians, and was returned in exchange, was convicted of treason.